In the early hours of a July weekend, tragedy struck the small community of Poplar Grove, Arkansas, forever altering the lives of those involved. William 'Red' Henderson, a 38-year-old man, was fatally shot on Saturday, July 5, 2025. The incident unfolded around 2:15 a.m. in the 300 block of Phillips County Road 113. First responders found Henderson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and transported him to Helena Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The Phillips
County Sheriff's Office quickly requested the assistance of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division to delve into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Their investigation led to the identification of a suspect, 41-year-old Decorick Farr of Poplar Grove. Special agents with the CID arrested Farr and charged him with first-degree murder. He was subsequently booked into the Phillips County Detention Center. A second man, who was 47 years old, was also injured in the incident and taken to a hospital in a private vehicle, where he was listed in stable condition.
As the legal process unfolded, the case took a significant turn. After the Arkansas State Police submitted their investigative findings to the prosecuting attorney's office for review, a decision was made that reshaped the narrative of that fatal morning. First Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Todd Murray concluded that Decorick Farr had acted in self-defense in the shooting death of William Henderson. Consequently, it was determined that no criminal charges would be filed in connection with the incident.
